Always Be Your Hero
by Jennie-x
Summary: Jack recieves a phone call from the police, telling him that someone has escaped from a mental hospital. But what has it got to do with Ianto? Jack/Ianto. Post Exit Wounds. Slash. Warnings: Rape only mentioned


**I think I might have a slight Fetish for Ianto angst, never mind. I have officially fed my own addiction with this fiction. Hope you like it. Let me know what You think! **

The phone in Jack's office started ringing loudly. Jack watched as the light flashed red showing he had an incoming call from the police station, he groaned inwardly as he picked it up, he had already been on the phone for an hour to Unit that morning and it wasn't even nine yet. He picked it up, and was instantly filled with dread once the caller started to explain why they were calling.

Ianto was sat at his desk in the main area of the hub, ever since Owen and Toshiko died Jack had asked him to move down stairs with him and Gwen. He didn't like having the younger man out of sight. He read the reports from yesterday over, before signing his name, he organised them in neat piles; ones to be sent to the police, ones to be sent to Unit, one to be filed away straight away, and ones that Jack needed to sign. The last pile was the tallest.

Gwen hadn't arrived yet, not that Ianto minded anyway. When she was in, which seemed to be when she felt like it, or when she could handle it, she always spent her time with Jack. Leaving Ianto alone, sometimes wishing he was in the tourist office. Jack had reassured him that Gwen just needed comfort, and he was only there to wipe away her tears. Ianto never really needed much reassuring, but Jack always felt guilty when Gwen seemed to push the youngest member away.

Jack walked down the stairs, his brow frowning in thought. "Everything okay?" Ianto asked. Jack looked at him, fear in his eyes. "Jack..."

"We need to talk," Jack said quietly. The cog door rolled open and Gwen walked in.

"Hey Jack," She smiled, "What's happened?" She asked once she saw the fear across her Captains face.

"Nothing, Ianto my office please." Ianto nodded, and headed up the stairs, not looking at Gwen though he could feel the holes burning into his back as she stared at him. "Gwen, I need you to hack into the police files, find everything you can on James Downer." Gwen looked at him confused, but the look on Jack's face told her that this wasn't up for questioning.

Jack walked into the office and saw Ianto standing up, looking aimlessly at the bookshelf in the corner. "Sit down," Jack smiled, gesturing to the small yet reasonably comfortable sofa in the corner. Jack sat next to him, and took his hand in his.

"Jack, what's going on?" Ianto asked nervously.

"The police phoned today," Jack started. Ianto just looked at him with a blank expression. "They phoned because they knew you worked here, and wanted you to know that James Downer has escaped from the mental rehabilitation centre." Ianto froze. His grip on Jack's hand tightened, and his face was drained of all remaining colour. "They're trying to find him, but said that you're not to be left alone."

No, it can't be true. Ianto thought, he stared at Jack wondering why he would play such a sick joke on him, then it dawned on him that Jack didn't know about James. Then he realised it wasn't a joke.

"What happened?" Jack asked, he rubbed his thumb across Ianto's knuckles, trying to calm him down a little.

"He was my teacher in high school," Ianto mumbled. For the first time in his life, Ianto was glad that Gwen had barged in on him. He didn't want to relive everything that had happened in his past.

"I got the file for you, Jack." She said, her eyes looking at Ianto a little in disgust.

"Thanks. Put it on my desk. I want you to look on the CCTV, see if you see anyone that's acting odd around the hub." Jack said, he saw the look Gwen gave Ianto and wondered what had happened. Gwen silently walked out and Jack stared at Ianto. "Tell me what happened, please." Ianto took a deep breath, before nodding hesitantly.

"We were close." Ianto said shakily. "When my dad passed away, he was there for me. We spoke a lot, when my grades started to drop because I lost interest in school, he would help me after class. But he started to flirt a bit, always telling me that I looked nice and I could always feel him watching me in class." Jack listened eagerly for Ianto to continue, but the younger man couldn't.

"Did he...?" Jack didn't finish the sentence, he looked at Ianto who nodded as tears fell down his face.

"I begged him to stop, but he never listened. He told me that I wanted it, that it would make everything feel better." Ianto sobbed. Jack pulled Ianto closer, stroking his hair soothingly. "I was too scared to tell anyone, I never went back to school after the first time it happened." Jack's claw clenched. First time.

"Then what happened?" Jack asked, though he didn't want to know.

"I started seeing him outside my house. I had this constant feeling that I was being watched. Mum asked me to go to the shop to get her some milk, I hadn't left the house in a week and she figured I could do with the air. So I went, it was only down the road so I figured I'd be okay. He was there and pushed me into an alley."

Jack listened as Ianto broke his heart over again, telling him what the man had made him do. It made him sick to think that Ianto had been forced to do several things that Jack loved to do to him. Jack always assumed that Ianto had slept with another man before, because he wasn't as tight as someone who had claimed to never had slept with men, and he had seemed use to the pain. Jack now wished that he hadn't assumed so much of Ianto.

"Someone from school saw us. Spread it around the next day that we were having an affair. Social services and the police came round and I told them the truth. When they went to check his house he was hanging from a rope, they had just got there in time to save him. His whole living room was filled of pictures of me."

"How old was you?" Jack asked gently.

"15."

Jack held Ianto tighter as the man cried his heart out. He was fifteen. "We'll find him. I wont let him hurt you again."

"He said it was my fault." Ianto said, his voice a little shaky but his crying had stopped. "He told everyone that I threw myself at him, made him want me. He said he loved me and that he wouldn't hurt me. He told the police that all he ever wanted was for us to be together forever."

"That's not going to happen," Jack said as he wrapped an arm around him and felt him fall into the friendly embrace. "I'll find him, and I'll make him regret ever hurting you."

Ianto nodded and moved slightly as he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, he sighed softly when he saw the caller ID. "Hey mum..." Ianto dropped the phone and felt his body shake. Jack picked the phone up, shouting for Gwen.

Jack could hear a man on the line laughing, "I'm going to make you pay for hurting him!" Jack said aggressively as Gwen walked in, she took one look at Ianto and ran to his side, wrapping an arm around him. Ianto was breathing hastily, his chest rising and falling in an unsteady rhythm, "I will find you, and when I do I will kill you!" Jack slammed the phone down and sat on the other side of Ianto.

"My mum, he had her phone." Ianto cried.

"We'll go to her house okay." Jack said. "You're staying here."

"No!" Ianto shouted. "She's my mum, Jack."

"He should stay with us," Gwen said. When she had read the file, she assumed too quickly that Ianto had cried rape to get him out of trouble, she realised now that she had only been jealous. Because Ianto had Jack and they all knew that Gwen wanted him as well. She cradled Ianto in her arms, wishing she hadn't thought so terribly of the young man. Jack frowned but nodded anyway.

They walked out of the hub, Jack and Gwen either side of Ianto who kept looking around frantically, the feeling of being watched never leaving him. Ianto sat in the passenger seat in the front, his eyes open wide. Jack drove quickly, Ianto's mum lived on the other side of the city.

Jack pulled up in the drive way. Ianto took the key from his pocket, and opened it wearily. Jack behind him. They looked around, Jack tried to picture Ianto growing up in this house, it seemed nice and peaceful.

"In here." Gwen called, coming from the kitchen. She was kneeling down next to a women's body. "She's alive, looks like she's been pushed."

"Mum." Ianto sobbed, he shook her body gently. "Mum, please wakeup." Ianto cried, he watched as his mum moved a little. "Come on mum," Ianto urged.

"Yan?" Her voice was weak, and they noticed the small cut on her head from where she fell. "Thank god you're okay." She pulled her son into a tight embrace. "He was here."

"I know." Ianto pulled away. "You're okay?"

"I'm fine. What about you?" She asked, checking her son for any injury. "He was looking for you." Ianto sat down next to his mum after helping her to the sofa, she wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pulled him close to her. Normally, Ianto would be embarrassed but not today. Today he needed his mum.

"You're Jack I take it?" She asked as she ran her fingers through Ianto's hair. Ianto was staring at the floor. He didn't want to stay here, but Jack said it was the best place to be.

"Yeah, I wish we were meeting on better circumstances," He said.

"Me too. Yan speaks highly of you. Of you both." She smiled towards Gwen, who smiled gingerly back. Ianto rolled his eyes.

"You sure you don't want me to look at that cut? I've had first aid training," Jack smiled nervously.

"It's fine. I've had worse." She said. She looked down at her son, she could feel him shaking in his arms, his eyes were closed and she and Jack both knew that he was trying to block everything out. "When he was fifteen, he acted a lot like this. Always just wanting to sit and be held. I always thought it was because he missed his dad." Jack watched as Ianto's breathing evened out and he knew that his young lover had fallen into a very light sleep. "Then when he came back from the shop, I just knew what had happened." She looked down at her son who was now asleep, and wiped her eyes. "He thought he was dirty, he wouldn't let me touch him, wouldn't let me hold him. He refused to go back to school, wouldn't even go to another school. Just got a job in the local supermarket, and when he was old enough he left. I knew it would happen sooner or later, he was always jumpy when he was out. I didn't blame him for leaving, I'm glad he came back though."

Jack smiled slightly, Ianto's mum was exactly how he always imagined her to be. Ianto jumped as the phone rang, he looked up as his mum smiled and hesitantly reached for the house phone. "Hello... I know... No he's fine, he's here..."

"Who is it?" Ianto mimed, he knew his mum hated to be interrupted when she was on the phone.

"It's your Auntie Gwen, it's on the news." Ianto got up and flicked the television on, and sat back down.

Jack and Gwen watched as they showed pictures of James Downer, he was in his late fifties now, they showed pictures of him before he went into the mental rehabilitation centre, and now. He looked completely different, older, angrier. Ianto listened intently. The news reporter hadn't mentioned his name, just said that the man had raped a high school boy claiming they were in love. Ianto turned the television off, and kicked his shoes off and sat cross legged on the sofa.

Ianto's mum ended the call and smiled over at her son. "She sends her love, and said that they're going to get him. Police are out looking for him," Ianto just shrugged. "What have I told you about shrugging?" Ianto rolled his eyes. "Well?"

"If you shrug your shoulders fall off." Ianto laughed lightly. "I've been shrugging for at least twenty years, and look, heads still there." Ianto smiled. "I need a coffee."

"I'll make it." Jack offered.

"No offence, but I'll make it." Ianto smiled, he got up and he knew Jack was following him.

"You don't need to put on a brave face." Jack said as he wrapped his arms around Ianto, his head resting on top of Ianto's.

"I'm not." Ianto whispered. "I'm scared, I feel like I'm fifteen again."

"I know, but it's going to be okay." Jack promised. Ianto broke away and smiled slightly. He started the coffee, making his mum and Gwen a cup of herbal tea. He handed Jack his and Gwen's cup, and carried his and his mothers back into the living room.

"You're an angel," His mum smiled. Ianto smiled back in return and stared at the floor again.

"I need to use the toilet," Ianto said, and placed the cup on the table. Jack stood up. "I can pee on my own, I don't need help." He laughed.

"I know, but I don't want to leave you on your own. I'll wait outside the door." He smiled. Ianto shrugged and headed upstairs, but instead of going into the bathroom he went into his old bedroom. "I knew you didn't need to piss." Ianto just shrugged and sat on his old bed. His room was exactly how he had left.

Blue walls, a double bed in the middle of the room. A television on a unit in front of the bed, a book shelved packed with books and videos. And photo frames on top of a small chest of draws. Posters covered most of the walls.

"So this is where all the magic happened." Jack smiled as he sat down on the bed.

"I guess," Ianto smiled and leant into Jack's touch.

"How come you never told me about any of this?" Jack asked as he wrapped his arms around Ianto.

"I thought it was finished with when I was a kid. I didn't see the point in bringing it up." Jack nodded, he could understand where Ianto was coming from. Jack went to say something but a loud banging filled their senses and they both ran downstairs. Gwen and Ianto's mum was standing behind the sofa; the banging coming from the door.

"Ianto stand with Gwen!" Jack ordered, Ianto walked behind Gwen and grabbed his mums hand, holding on to her tight.

Jack grabbed his gun from its holster and Ianto's mum eyed him suspiciously, and when Gwen and Ianto both pulled guns out too she felt a little confused.

Jack opened the door, and fell back straight away when a loud shot ran out through the room. Jack was on the floor, a bullet whole in his stomach. Ianto felt his eyes water, and Gwen's eyes was doing the same. Ianto's mum muffled a scream as she looked up at James Downer.

"I knew you'd come to check on your mummy, Yan." He purred. He stepped over Jack as though he was a piece of rubbish on the floor. Gwen and Ianto both aimed their guns at him, as he did the same. "You're looking really good." He smiled, coming closer to Ianto. "I thought about you every day."

"I thought about you too." Ianto admitted, clicking the safety of his gun. "Because you ruined my life. There wasn't a day that didn't pass when I didn't wish you were dead!"

"That doesn't matter now. We'll be together forever. Just you and me. You like that when you were younger, coming into my class after school. What did you expect to happen?"

"You were supposed to be a role model!" Ianto's mum snapped. "You're sick and twisted!"

"No. I'm in love." He said simply. He raised his gun to Ianto and pulled the trigger.

Three gun shots filled the room. Ianto's mum screamed as she crouched down next to Ianto. Gwen did the same. Jack watched with tears in his eyes, he kicked the gun away from James' body even though the man was clearly dead, bullets to the back of his head and stomach.

"Gwen phone an ambulance!" Jack said, it was times like this he really needed Owen. He looked at Ianto who's eyes were trying so desperately to stay open. "You're okay. You're going to be okay." Jack said, he applied pressure to Ianto's side where the bullet was wedged in. Ianto too dazed to do anything just smiled weakly, one hand covered Jack's and the other held on tightly to his mum who was crying her eyes out.

Jack, Gwen and Ianto's mum were sat outside a room in the hospital. Jack had flashed his Torchwood badge around and Ianto had been seen to and sent to theatre straight away "You all had guns." His mum mumbled.

"It's in our job description," Jack said quietly. "Your sun works for a secret organisation, we deal with terrorists." He said vaguely.

"Terrorists?" She repeated, Jack and Gwen just nodded. Jack was sure that Mrs Jones had several more questions but a nurse came out and looked at them and smiled. "How is he?"

"He's in recovery. We got the bullet out and there was no problems during surgery." She said. "He's in a cubicle if you want to go see him," Jack nodded in thanks.

"You two go. I'll go talk to the police and tell them everything," Gwen smiled. "Jack, give him my love." Jack nodded and walked down to the cubicles followed closely by Ianto's mum.

"He always looks so young when he sleeps," His mum commented, she and Jack were sat either side of the young welsh boy, both holding his hands. "He looks a lot like his dad." Jack didn't know what to say, just nodded. "He looks up to you, Jack."

"I know." Jack said, he ran his thumb over Ianto's knuckles pleading with him to wake up soon. "I love your son so much."

"And he loves you," Mrs Jones smiled. "When he moved back from London, he was an empty shell of the boy I loved. Then about nine months ago he was back to his old self, he never told me what happened. But I've got a feeling it has a lot to do with you."

"When I first met him, he was this quiet, shy man that I wanted to know everything about, he never stopped surprising me. When he came out of his shell, he was funny, loud and everything about him just made me smile. When I heard that gun shot, I thought I lost him."

"But you were dead." His mother said, looking up at Jack. Thinking of the only thing he could Jack stuttered out:

"Bullet proof vest." Jack sighed. "I was doing something before this happened, forgot to take it off."

"Lucky." Mrs Jones sighed. She stared at Ianto, willing for him to wakeup along with Jack.

Jack watched the steady rise and fall of Ianto's chest, he knew that this was probably one of the best sleeps he has had in a while, as the medication often made nightmares impossible. It took Ianto an hour to wake up completely, and when he did he was still a little groggy.

"Are you okay?" His mum asked. Ianto nodded weakly, his hand unconsciously itching at the bandage around his wound.

"What about you?" Ianto asked.

"We're fine." His mum smiled.

"Gwen, where's Gwen?" Ianto panicked.

"She's fine, she's talking to the police. She sends her love." Jack answered, he ran his fingers through Ianto's hair and smiled as he felt him move into the touch.

"I'm going to go tell the doctors you're awake," His mum smiled. Jack smiled at her along with Ianto.

"Is it over Jack?" Ianto asked hesitantly.

"It's over. You don't have to be scared any more." Jack said as he held Ianto's hand tightly.

"You're always saving me, Jack." Ianto said, his voice was still a little shaky and Jack could still hear the fear in his voice.

"And that's never going to change."


End file.
